Tongs for photographic plates.



N0. 7D3,|92. I Patented June 24, I902.

I D. GUETH.

TONGS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

(Application filed Oct. 22, 1901. (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSWALD GUETII, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

TONGS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,192, dated June 24, 19,02.

Application filed October 22, 1901. Serial No. 79,498. (No model.)

To all whom it mctyconoern:

Be it known that I, OswALD GUETH, a citizen of the Empire of Germany,residing in New York, borough of Bronx, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs for Photographic Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved tongs for photographic plates. It is designed mainly for the use of amateurs and others to enable them to take hold of the plate and handle it while in the developing-bath and during the process of washing after development, so as to dispense with the soiling of the fingers in handling the plates; and for this purpose the invention consists of tongs for photographic plates which are composed of two angular sections having bent-up retaining-flanges and fulcrumed handles connected with said angular sections, being spring-actuated, so as to hold the tongs on the plate. After the processes of development and washing the handles are compressed against the tension of the spring, thereby releasing the plate from the jaws of the angular sections, as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved tongs for photographic plates with a plate held therein. Fig. 2 is also aperspective View of the same, showing my improved tongs for holding a plate in position in the developing-bath. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same drawn on a larger scale; and Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections of a jaw of my improved tongs, respectively on lines 4 4: and 5 5, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, Ct (0 represent the jaws of my improved tongs for holding photographic plates. Each jaw is provided with a handle I), that is connected by an angular shank d with the inner end of the jaw a. The handlesare fulcrumed together at the point e and are acted upon by a flat or other spring 6, which is interposed between the hollow handles, so as to compress them in an outward direction, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The jaws (t a are made of angular shape, so as to be applied to the corners of the plate to be developed, each jaw being composed of a fiat portion a and flange a which is bent up at right angles to the base portion along its rear part and provided with an oblique-angled flange a along the side portion of the jaw, as shown, respectively, in Figs. e and 5. The oblique-angled flanges a bind on the edges of the plate and hold the same in permanent position in the tongs when developing or washing the plate. The angular jaws are made, preferably, in one construc tion with the angular shanks and handles, each section being bent up by means of dies from sheet metal of suitable thickness. The shanks may, however, be attached to each of the inner ends of the jaws if it is desired to make each section in one piece.

The improved tongs are used by taking hold of the plate by means of the angular jaws, which is accomplished by releasing the fulcrumed handles against the tension of the spring, so that the jaws firmly hold the plate in position for developing, fixing, &c. The photographic plate rests with its face upward on the fiat portions of the jaws and is retained in position by the oblique side portions, the end of the plate abutting against the upright flanges of the jaws, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

My improved tongs for holding photographic plates have the advantage that photographers can handle plates during the developing and fixing operations without soiling the fingers by the different solutions and that the plate can be held by the tongs while washing the same, and finally for transferring or depositing it into the drying-rack. The main advantage of my improved tongs is that the plate is not touched during the whole process of developing, fixing, washing, and drying, being always held or transferred by the tongs.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Tongs for photographic plates,consisting of two fulcrumed spring-actuated members, each provided with a handle, a downwardlyextending shank, and a lateral right-angular jaw, said jaw being provided with a longitu dinal inwardly-bent rctainingflange, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSWALD GUETH.

XVitnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, O. BRADWAY.

plate in position, substantially as set forth. 

